Surf lifesaving: Friends take sporting rivalry to new heights

They first lined up against each other as nippers at the Muriwai Surf Club in West Auckland.

Now, several years later, Lucy Pengelly and Lauren Roberts (both aged 20) will take on 18 other competitors in the gruelling Surf lifesaving Ironman Series to be held at Sydney's Coogee Beach next weekend.

The pair are New Zealand's only entrants in the series, which is regarded as the most competitive surf lifesaving event in the world. It has A$50,000 ($54,000) on offer for the first man and woman home.

Such is the competition that athletes must qualify, as the West Auckland pair did this month. Up against 40 competitors, Pengelly finished fourth and Roberts fifth in the trials, in what was their first attempt at qualifying.

"For me, making the series is a huge achievement," Roberts said.

"It is something I watched on television when I was little, I dreamed of competing even in the trials.

"To make it into the competition is huge."

The pair have been based at the Northcliffe Surf Club on the Gold Coast for the last six months, which has enabled them to train alongside several of Australia's top competitors, including 2005 Australian Ironwoman champion Kristyl Smith and Kirsty Cameron, who is looking to clinch her third consecutive ironwoman title.

"The competition is so much more fierce here," Roberts said.

"There are so many more competitors here. The women that train here [at the club] are world champions and used to make a living from the sport. There is no better place to train.

"I don't think Australia have been beaten at a world championships since about 1998."

The ironman event consists of three disciplines - ski, paddle board and swim. All entrants compete in three races next Saturday, and the last two finishers in each will be eliminated to find the finalists who will compete in three more on Sunday.

And you can forget about a lengthy break in between races.

"I think when the last person comes through you have two minutes then you race again," Roberts said.

Hence the reason their build-up to the event has included three lung-imploding training sessions a day.

Pengelly's strength lies with the paddle board and Roberts' preferred discipline is the ski.

"I am not too flash with the swim. The girls in the series are very good swimmers so it is going to be very hard."

The pair grew up on Auckland's rugged west coast, which means the more waves Sydney's Coogee Beach dishes up, the better.

"I love the surf, it is a thrill, especially in the big surf," said Roberts, whose family are active lifeguards at Muriwai Beach.

"Muriwai has big surf all the time, which has definitely helped my surf skills."

But the chances of Coogee Beach delivering appear quite slim.

"It is generally flat down there. If there is a big breeze there can be a bit of a shore break. It can be quite a heavy shore break but it is generally a flat beach.

"I'd definitely prefer the conditions to be a bit more rough but I am not too fazed by it."

After the Ironman, the girls head back to New Zealand for the New Zealand Lion Foundation series to be held in Mt Maunganui over the first weekend in February.

They will then return to Melbourne for the World Championships, where Pengelly is part of the 12-strong New Zealand team and Roberts will compete for Muriwai in the clubs event with an eye to making the New Zealand team one day.

"I definitely want to make the NZ team but we'll see what happens. I hope to race well this season. The nationals [in March] are a selection event for the New Zealand team so I hope to race well there."

As for rivalry between the pair?

"We are the best of friends but when it comes to racing we are very competitive," Roberts said.

"Some days she'll win, some days I'll win.

"But when we are out of the water nothing gets between us."

SURF CALENDAR


January 28-29: Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman series, Sydney

February 4-5: Lion New Zealand Series, Mt Maunganui

February 14-15: World Championships, Melbourne

March 17-19: New Zealand Championships, Oakura